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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · bay · ground · clip · bound · calf · foot · fall

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fall — the season
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. clip — a video
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bound — tied together
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bound — certain
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fall — to drop
  21. ground — crushed
  22. clip — for paper
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com